CULLOWHEE – Western Carolina University has received the State Employees Combined Campaign chairman's STAR Award in recognition of the university's successful fund-raising campaign for charities in 2003.

The annual State Employees Combined Campaign provides an opportunity for all state employees across North Carolina to assist charitable organizations. The campaign is the only officially sanctioned fund drive conducted on Western's campus.

The STAR Award is given to state offices and universities that have helped their employees better understand the campaign through innovative publicity and communications, special events or audio-visual programs, said Gwynn T. Swinson, secretary of the state Department of Administration.